The aim of this pilot study is to determine whether chronic alcohol ingestion has effects upon neurons in the cerebral neocortex. Young adult rats will be fed an ethanol diet for 20 weeks while controls with receive a sucrose or lab chow diet. In terminal experiments electrophysiological methods will be used to evaluate two inhibitory processes in neocortex. Selected cortical neurons in other animals will be studied to identify possible morphological effects of chronic alcohol ingestion. If reliable results are obtained this model could be used to explore other problems related to chronic alcohol consumption, such as, determining to what extent brain structure and function may recover following cessation of alcohol consumption.